That's My Dad

I just found a draft I had forgotten about, it said: "Dave has the fortitude to take the Stoning of Stephen with joy. He has a strength I am so thankful for and love."

My mom said that about my dad the other day. We were talking on the phone and she was really talking about something else entirely, She was comparing and contrasting and said, "The Lord knew what I needed in a husband, He knew I needed Dave's strength. You know, Dave has the fortitude to take the Stoning of Stephen with joy." She proceeded with the conversation, perhaps not understanding the weight of what she said. It is just a simple truth to her. That, is who my dad is, that is who she married and it needed no explanation so she moved on to make her point.

It struck me so deeply that while we were still on the phone I typed this in a draft so I could save it.

All of you marrieds out there realize that a compliment like this, coming from a wife is a great compliment indeed. No one knows your strengths and weaknesses like a spouse. No one knows your sin better, because it is usually the spouse that is most affected by it.

So, when my mom says that my dad has the fortitude to take the Stoning of Stephen with joy, that carries weight with me.

My heart overflows when I think about this. I feel like shouting "That's MY Dad!"

That guy! The one who would give his life freely to the cause of Christ, and would count it all joy! That's my Dad! The one who doesn't fear death, because death is just the door to where His Father is. That's my Dad! The one who wants more than anything else on this earth to please His Father in Heaven. That, is my dad.

He's my example.

I've been told by many people that "Those Woods girls sure love their Dad."

Yes, I sure do! I couldn't be more proud to be his daughter.

My mom has said many times that the early years of parenting are the physically hard years and the later years are mentally/emotionally hard.

Things are pretty physical around here.

I feel as though I blink and the week is gone. Jonathan is everywhere. He loves to explore and look at every possible thing. He LOVES to be outside. I can't wait for the day we have a yard so we can easily be outside all the time.

I want to stop time. I want to take in every lesson the Lord is teaching me, I want to stare at Jonathan and observe every detail before he changes again. I want to sit and watch Kyle be a dad, to see how the Lord is growing him as a leader, to watch how he is being stretched and molded by the Lord. I get to see these things, but I feel as though I'm watching them in hyper-speed.

Kyle and I were driving to a Halloween party last night and Jonathan fell asleep in the car. We were a bit early so we just drove him around letting him rest and Kyle and I drove through a part of town we hadn't seen before and talked. It was such sweet time. Uninterrupted time. Just us.

I don't want to make it sound like this busy time is something I'm complaining about. I am so loving it I just wish I could slow down to love it more! I never could have imagined the joy of building a family. I can't wait for more babies (no, I'm not pregnant) I can't wait until we have 4 kids and Kyle and I are so exhausted that all we want is to sleep in on a Saturday morning, but instead our kids come in and pile on us! Because really snuggling on a Saturday morning is much better than sleeping on a Saturday morning.

I am so blessed.

I am humbled by it.

I hope I never lose sight of it.